New Weed Breathalyzers Could Be A Big Buzzkill For Stoners

As more and more US states relax their laws on legalizing cannabis, private companies are stepping in to develop roadside cannabis detection devices. In other words, "weed breathalyzers" that can detect whether or not a driver is too stoned to drive. These devices are very similar to handheld electronic sobriety tests, already in widespread use by law enforcement, for detecting alcohol consumption levels. Canadian company Cannabix Technologies is one of the companies on the cutting edge of developing pot breathalyzer technology.

The company is run by a former Canadian police officer and is currently putting its pot breathalyzer under rigorous in-house tests before moving forward with sales. Another company, US-based Lifeloc Technologies, is also developing a pot breathalyzer that can correctly identify the presence of THC, the psychoactive part of cannabis. However, the Lifeloc device simply detects the presence of THC and not the level of users impairment. The company recently received a $250,000 grant from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade to put towards its research.